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Way too many Tar Heels, no wonder we lost. Argentina was led by a 38-year old Luis Scola, which I believe makes him the only person to beat Team USA three times (2002, 2004, 2018). And there are only a handful of people who have beaten Team USA twice: Argentines who were on the 2002 & 2004 teams, and Lithuanians on the 1998 & 2004 Teams.

But the takeaway is: even as badly as Team USA has been hit by defections for the 2019 tournament, the guys suiting up this summer are in a different stratosphere than the ones who lost last year. Hence why it really flew under the radar.

P.s.
If I told you a made up a name and inserted it into one of the rosters above, could you spot it?

P.s.
If I told you a made up a name and inserted it into one of the rosters above, could you spot it?

While I recognize many of the names on those teams from their college success or their high school recruiting process, there are at least 3-5 guys on each team who are a total mystery to me. If you inserted a couple fake names, I would not know.

While I recognize many of the names on those teams from their college success or their high school recruiting process, there are at least 3-5 guys on each team who are a total mystery to me. If you inserted a couple fake names, I would not know.

I'm gonna go ahead and guess that Richard Solomon III is made up.

I was gonna guess that "Cameron Reynolds" was the fake name because I didn't see his cousin "Lawrence Joel Carmichael" listed.

P.s.
If I told you a made up a name and inserted it into one of the rosters above, could you spot it?

Originally Posted by JasonEvans

While I recognize many of the names on those teams from their college success or their high school recruiting process, there are at least 3-5 guys on each team who are a total mystery to me. If you inserted a couple fake names, I would not know.

I'm gonna go ahead and guess that Richard Solomon III is made up.

Originally Posted by House P

I was gonna guess that "Cameron Reynolds" was the fake name because I didn't see his cousin "Lawrence Joel Carmichael" listed.

Both good guesses, but I'll admit: it's a trick question. All of those names are real American basketball players who suited up for Team USA in the last year.

So, here is a game... how many of the above players can you identify enough to know what college they attended?

I rock the second list as I can name the school of 9 of them: Berry, Hopson, Randle, Trice, Liggins, Hearn. Moreland, Jenkins, and Zeller
The first list is weaker: Stockton, Munford, Hearn, Holmes, and Amile.

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but the US isn't the only international team that has been hit pretty hard by NBA talent not willing to play in the World Cup. Team Canada has seen Jamaal Murray, RJ Barrett, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, and Trey Lyles pull out. I suspect all of them would have been favorites to make the team. In fact, I feel like Murray, SGA, RJ, and Lyles would have been starters. It has been known for a while that the Aussies will not have Ben Simmons, which could have really boosted their chances.

-Jason "you can still get 20-1 on Greece to win it all... and I really wonder if any team in the tourney will be able to stop Giannis" Evans

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but the US isn't the only international team that has been hit pretty hard by NBA talent not willing to play in the World Cup. Team Canada has seen Jamaal Murray, RJ Barrett, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, and Trey Lyles pull out. I suspect all of them would have been favorites to make the team. In fact, I feel like Murray, SGA, RJ, and Lyles would have been starters. It has been known for a while that the Aussies will not have Ben Simmons, which could have really boosted their chances.

-Jason "you can still get 20-1 on Greece to win it all... and I really wonder if any team in the tourney will be able to stop Giannis" Evans

Looks like no one cares about the FIBA World Cup. And I can't blame them; it likely won't get a lot of exposure (although it should, given how basketball is continue to expand globally and is one of the fastest growing established sports).

The Olympics are so much bigger than the World Cup. Pops will get an incredible team for that event.

Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill

President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club

Looks like no one cares about the FIBA World Cup. And I can't blame them; it likely won't get a lot of exposure (although it should, given how basketball is continue to expand globally and is one of the fastest growing established sports).
The Olympics are so much bigger than the World Cup. Pops will get an incredible team for that event.

The word has always been that the rest of the world cares more about the World Cup than the Olympics, with the USA being the polar opposite. It's a tougher tournament in terms of the field and the format, but it lacks the cache here in the States.

I do think that crunching it together with the Olympics in back-to-back years has scared off players who don't want to make that large of a commitment.

CJ McCollum was on the Woj pod and said there were a number of reasons why guys chose not to play:
-Many teams are taking trips to China this summer and it would have meant two trips
-The league is wide open this year and guys want to be rested to really get after that chip
-Related to workload, they want to get their rest and, as the biggest names started to drop out, the "next biggest man up" felt like they were going to have to carry too much of a workload so they, too, bailed. They were fine as long as every game was going to be a blowout and the load would be shared equally, but they didn't want to be "the man" and have to play too many minutes.
-The tournament is later than usual and, therefore, too close to training camp

I think the current pool of guys is good enough and I look forward to watching them go for it. I especially hope our guy Jayson makes the team and it helps set him up for a next level 2019-20 NBA season.

I think the current pool of guys is good enough and I look forward to watching them go for it. I especially hope our guy Jayson makes the team and it helps set him up for a next level 2019-20 NBA season.

I'll be shocked if Tatum does not make it. Plumlee is the one who I think may have a harder time finding a roster spot.

Then again, it may depend on whether they really consider players from the select team. Fox has already moved up to the main World Cup roster and there are at least 5 other guys on the select team who could be contenders if they are given a chance (Allen, Bagley, Collins, JJJr, and Young).

If I had to guess, I would say the final 12-man roster will be (in order):

Walker, Lowry, Middleton, Smart, Mitchell, Tatum, Brown, Barnes, Lopez, Fox, Turner, and Young... though the roster is dominated by perimeter players and Pop may feel like he needs one more big. Can you get away with playing only one post player in the international game? K played Melo at PF quite effectively in the past. I could see Middleton, Barnes, or Tatum playing that role on this team.

If I had to guess, I would say the final 12-man roster will be (in order):

Walker, Lowry, Middleton, Smart, Mitchell, Tatum, Brown, Barnes, Lopez, Fox, Turner, and Young... though the roster is dominated by perimeter players and Pop may feel like he needs one more big. Can you get away with playing only one post player in the international game? K played Melo at PF quite effectively in the past. I could see Middleton, Barnes, or Tatum playing that role on this team.

I'll be shocked if Tatum does not make it. Plumlee is the one who I think may have a harder time finding a roster spot.

I think MP2s primary advantage is his knowledge of Jokic who represents the best player on arguably the toughest team we'll face. It's not strongly compelling but I do think it is a little ace up his sleeve. I doubt he makes it, but he does have prior FIBA experience, too...so maybe.

I think MP2s primary advantage is his knowledge of Jokic who represents the best player on arguably the toughest team we'll face. It's not strongly compelling but I do think it is a little ace up his sleeve. I doubt he makes it, but he does have prior FIBA experience, too...so maybe.

Yeah, Mason's biggest advantage is experience, because there is barely any international experience on this roster.

@TheSteinLine
No official announcement yet, of course, but go ahead and put Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox's name on the Team USA roster for China. Consistently standing out and making the right decision every time the media is in allowed in the gym here in Vegas ...

@TheSteinLine
Boston's Marcus Smart is out indefinitely for Team USA with calf tightness. Will be re-evaluated next week ...

"Without proven superstars, Team USA is probably going to have to be carried at times by a system. The Americans can't rely on the tremendous driving ability of LeBron James or world-class shot-creators such as Kevin Durant or James Harden in this cycle. The mega-stars are not here. They'll lean on a coach who believes in a style that tests players' aptitude, selflessness and sense of humor.

They will have to move the ball, because under FIBA rules, there is no illegal defense and teams just dare the U.S. to shoot. Fairly or not, there is no one on this roster that opponents will fear. Popovich's San Antonio teams have moved the ball better than anyone else over the past 20 years. But that's a process, one he now needs to rush.

"We've had guys in the past who are great isolation players, but we can't rely on that with this team," center Myles Turner said. "His emphasis is 0.5. You have half a second, shoot it, pass it and go. We're learning."

That strategy and system are going to have to be the Americans' bedrock. Popovich's ability to get the team to buy in could be the difference between a gold medal and having a black mark on his résumé."

Learned from this article that Pop was an assistant in 2002 and 2004. Certainly don't think he should shoulder any blame for those losses, but if we don't win this thing this year, that'd be a really weird and unlucky international resume for him.

Learned from this article that Pop was an assistant in 2002 and 2004. Certainly don't think he should shoulder any blame for those losses, but if we don't win this thing this year, that'd be a really weird and unlucky international resume for him.

Really, a complete disaster when you factor in his connection to 1972 as an alternate on the team.

Aside from Serbia, I definitely sweat Australia. Those guys have played together for a long time, have a starting 5 of NBA players (Bogut, Baynes, Delly, Mills and Ingles) and always play us tough.

Lithuania is always tough. Slovenia didn't make it through qualifying despite winning Eurobasket last year, which is kind of a joke and means FIBA needs to get their qualification process to align with the NBA season in a better way so that the top guys are being showcased in these tournaments:https://www.sbnation.com/2018/12/3/1...enia-mavericks

Really, a complete disaster when you factor in his connection to 1972 as an alternate on the team.

Aside from Serbia, I definitely sweat Australia. Those guys have played together for a long time, have a starting 5 of NBA players (Bogut, Baynes, Delly, Mills and Ingles) and always play us tough.

The problem with Australia's chances to beat the USA is that the USA will scrimmage them twice in Melbourne. I think if USA is going to lose, an element of surprise needs to be present. And the Aussies probably can't go full vanilla playing at home in those two exhibitions; they're going to want to not get embarrassed.